31 Comments - the drake - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 2:23 pm: I can’t wait to see what they come up with for TV ads. Maybe start with an apology for all the mistakes and close with a new gaffe. - Matt Belcher - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 2:26 pm: “Man starts over again everyday, in spite of all he knows, against all he knows.” ―Emil Cioran - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 2:27 pm: What’s Frerichs going to say… “I’m tall and don’t even know my record, and I apologize for the rollout video that pointed this out. Hi, I’m Mike Frerichs, I’m annoying, but if I get to be Treasurer, I’ll make Rutherford’s tweets look sane…” @FakeMikeFrerichs - it’s a tall order to not look Dopey, but if I don’t say too much and be tall, I’ll just look frumpy. #FactStrangerThanHeight - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 2:28 pm: Maybe he has something really awesome! Hey - it could happen, right? Lets not assume the worse, just because he has been the worse, so far… - Almost the Weekend - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 2:34 pm: Only advantage Frerichs has had so far has been money. Press, social media, oppo, etc. has all been Cross. But Money talks, will have to wait and see if it is enough with Rauner and Quinn clogging the airwaves. Not a good sign for Cross. - Toure's Latte - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 2:52 pm: Hi I’m Mike Frerich’s (shots of smiling shaking hands, laughing, being on the street listening to people) I’m the guy who WANTS to be your next State Treasurer. My opponent (shots of scowling slit eyed Tommy, then, cut to close up of missed putt) doesn’t even want this job, all he wants is to sue everyone — tie up the Treasurer’s office and waste taxpayers money. (Frerichs walking down street with people looking at camera) I want to be your next Illinois Treasurer, (split screen Frerichs beaming smile, Cross scowling) not the troll suing you. (Young person next to Mike) Vote for Mike Frerichs for State Treasurer! Commercials for Not Tommy Two Putt write themselves. - LincolnLounger - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 3:04 pm: Following up on Rich’s recent column, Baise, Gidwitz, Fahner, and the rest of the moderate, business crowd had better re-examine their priorities and pony up for Cross. Lots of us aren’t crazy about Cross, but Frerichs will be their worst nightmare if he gets a statewide toehold. There’s no end to his ambition or ego, and he will be Alexi without the baggage. Think about fighting that for the next 30 years. - Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 3:10 pm: How will Frerichs even fit on TV anyways? Headshot? Reclining sideways on a chaise? Riding in a car with his melon out the sunroof? - Frankie L - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 3:17 pm: I don’t think Frerichs will be touting “his” Eco/Ag program. http://www.sj-r.com/article/20140830/NEWS/140839979/1994/NEWS/?Start=2 - Team Sleep - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 3:21 pm: Amen, LL. The non-IPI yet-IPI types need to put their money where their collective mouths are. - A guy... - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 3:21 pm: If you set it all on fire, at least you’d be warm for a while. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 3:28 pm: ===…but Frerichs will be their worst nightmare if he gets a statewide toehold. There’s no end to his ambition or ego, and he will be Alexi without the baggage.=== Agreed. Frerichs is also, by far, bar none, the most annoying statewide candidate this cycle, and that alone makes me wish for some Rutherford. @FakeMikeFrerichs - I can’t believe all my SDem colleagues helping me win. They must want me to be the next Treasurer too #PleaseWinSoYouCanLeaveUsAlone - walker - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 3:29 pm: ===Alexi without the baggage.=== Right on Lounger. The more practical, fiscally astute Repubs better step up for Cross. - Big Debbie - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 3:31 pm: Wait, so this campaign won’t be decided by the number of twitter typos? - A guy... - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 3:33 pm: Calm down. Freirichs is the best thing that ever happened to Cross. Cross skates here. But if you want to see someone blow a million bucks, stay tuned. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 3:37 pm: ===Wait, so this campaign won’t be decided by the number of twitter typos?=== If you call tooling out a video and acting like a Dope spouting out about votes that Frerichs can’t even remember he made or his record, I like that campaign very much. Has Frerichs been in the IL Senate so long, he doesn’t even know his own record? Boy, Frerichs is a real big brain. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 3:47 pm: Tell us how you really feel, Willy! C’mon, more annoying than Sanguinetti? Look, I made fun of Hynes and his silly ketchup ads back in 1998, but they worked. @Walker, Lounger: Yeah, sure. Because Tom Cross is Mr. Fiscal Responsibility. Have you all forgotten that Rod Blagojevich’s first official act as governor was to go jogging with Tom Cross? Or that Tom Cross bristled and vigorously defended Blagojevich when Democrats first began suggesting impeachment? Maybe if you are some whack job you give money to Cross, but if you have any fiscal sense whatsoever, you do not write checks to the guy who voted against pension reform because: 1) Cross didn’t believe that the likely unconstitutional benefit cuts went far enough and 2) Cross wanted to start spending phantom pension savings right away. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 3:52 pm: ===C’mon, more annoying than Sanguinetti?=== Slip and Sue has a spell on me with the magic… …plus, Rauner’s Crew never let’s her “utter” words anymore. They are afraid she may tip things. Slip and Sue us just grossly unqualified and pathetically incompetent… Sadly, yeah, Frerichs is the most …annoying…by miles. His twitter feed and the Dopey rollout alone make that so. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 4:19 pm: I will try this again it some how got deleted. Cross still has 500,000 on hand to buy some air time its not like he is broke. If this is close at the end you can bet Rauner and the State party will give Cross money, Madigan has no reason to help Frerichs. This far from being a game changer more like a two minute warning when you need a TD and a two point conversion. - Almost the Weekend - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 4:35 pm: Anonymous at 4:19 PM Why would the State Party give money to Cross? I understand the logic of GOP House candidates, they will have a field program and bring bodies to the polls, but Treasurer does not nothing to benefit Rauner directly or indirectly. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 4:53 pm: I cant say where but Rauner has been quoted a number of times saying he will help All state wide candidates get elected. Im sure if Cross needs a 100 grand to get over the hump Rauner writes the check. Not like JBT needs it and the other two are cooked from the start. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 4:54 pm: Point I forgot to make is, he has been giving money to the state party so either way Cross gets some help if needed. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 5:07 pm: Willy: If you tune in to ANY candidate’s Twitter feed, it is your own fault. What was the name of Rutherford’s car? LOL For me, it is Radio StateHouse Chick or nothing at all Yes, pointing out the gaffes is fun. But Tom Cross was quoted defending Rod Blagojevich from impeachment. He has spent two decades in Springfield creating this freaking financial mess. Rich’s Crain’s column made the good point that Cross’ ambition for the AG’s office is bigger than the Washington Monument. Maybe you are right and Mike Madigan doesn’t care who the next AG is. I dunno. But if you were Governor Lisa Madigan, would you want Tom Cross in that spot? Meanwhile, Frerichs isn’t an attorney, so you don’t have to worry about him running for AG if you are one of the 322 Democrats considering the job once Lisa Madigan moves on. They will all be doing whatever they can to help Frerichs over the next two months. - Advertising Guage - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 5:11 pm: At this point, we have to assume that the Frerichs’ ad campaign will be like those blooper videos in neighborhood sports bars are always on a loop in case nothing entertaining is on, right? - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 5:25 pm: - YDD -, I am pretty sure you remember my past comments about Cross. I am not a blind cheerleader for Cross. The two, the choice of them? Frerichs is not ready for Prime Time. That’s not my fault, that’s the fault of his hapless crew. Only Frerichs and his Dopiness and his Crew’s lack of knowledge and details could make Artl and Criss look like Ailes and Reagan… Campaigns are designed for vetting and testing the muster and the ability to do what needs to be done, and seem competent while doing it. All I need to know about Frerichs on that small definition is the video with Frerichs himself not knowing his own record. Cross was with Rod. Cross has bad votes. Cross was even a horrible leader of a Caucus and political apparatus… But Cross, out of the box, never outright confused himself… as to who he was/is or his record. Add the Dopey tweeting, ignorant height jokes… Frerichs ain’t ready. Much respect as always. - Leprechaun - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 5:42 pm: Yellow Dog Democrat please explain that last sentence. Because he isn’t a lawyer all 322 will help him why? More reason they wont. He cant run for A.G. So if Cross wins 322 can run next time for Treasurer. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 5:47 pm: Leprachaun: If you are a Democrat thinking of running for Attorney General — the waiting list goes back 12 years — you want Tom Cross to get obliterated by Frerichs. I am not sure who was first on that list - Doug Scott or Tom Dart - but that primary will be a great show. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 5:50 pm: - YDD -, How about when Secretary of State opens up? Both Primaries… both will be flooded. That race from that March until November, man, that will be insane. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 5:53 pm: @Willy - I think Cross was politically brilliant to vote for Marriage Equality, but Tell me an issue Cross has not flip flopped on? His policy positions are actually less coherent than Rauner. - LincolnLounger - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 6:59 pm: “makes Artl and Cross look like Ailes and Reagan. Although I nearly choked while reading, I still declare that to be one of the funniest (and most accurate) comments ever. Thanks, Willy. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 7:29 pm: (Tips cap to - LincolnLounger -, respectfully) - YDD -, Sorry, dinner called. Are you trying to make this “Bizzaro World”? I might even get to finally golf with Cross if this goes well… With respect, and to your question, There is something I consider when Leaders (title, not description) have a flip-flop record that makes ya scratch your head and then then squint the eyes… …just about every possible chance Cross could deliver his vote to trade something, even if it goes against his better self or even what he said 5 minutes earlier, if it made sense politically, he did it. He did it to an absolute fault, and to his credit too. The office of State Treasurer is clearly boxed in constitutionally, and Cross’ own Dopiness to his explanation to his vision of it makes me giggle and cringe. Treasurer is also an office to look beyond, and to a fault, Cross, like Simon, have made their runs consolation prize attempts, some might even say to stay relevant. I grant you all that, and my history calling out Cross as well… Here is the rub for me. 1) Dan. Rutherford. Frerichs is the Dem Rutherford in the utter Dopiness of being seen one way, and his perception of how they think it’s being taken is another. I see the ego and just the feign “aw shucks” arrogance that really turned me off to Rutherford’s tenure being very strong in Frerichs. 2) Glomming. Frerichs is just a glommer to make himself, himself, he, feel relevant. It’s not policy or a cause, it’s the policy of Frerichs to be his own cause. This makes Frerichs, by far the most annoying statewide running. 3) and finally…how do you not know your own record/Crew. The utter incompetency of both Frerichs and his Crew, after no Primary opposition, and a year solidifying himself, and with no need for an additional new rollout, Frerichs does one, and it’s riddled with blatant inaccuracies, one of which his Crew made him look unknowing about his own voting record. C’mon! That is the most damaging, but the Keystone Kops are running that shop. All that said, it’s Cross for me. It’s not the case I would make to the masses, but you asked me my thoughts, and there they are. I tried to make them plain, straight forward, and obvious. Frerichs could turn it around, like many had hoped Rutherford would have. “Why take a chance?”? If you could help Frerichs, those are the points I would address these last few weeks. Frerichs has a self-inflicted image problem festering, and instead if correcting it, Frerichs and his Crew continually add to it. They would be wise to speak to you. With respect, OW Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.